Trophy Hunter

This entry is part 10 of 19 in the series Adventure Rider Issue #14

Competing on a bike takes commitment. There’s a lot to think about, a lot of cost, and a lot of preparation for both bike and rider.

Competing internationally multiplies that commitment by a factor of 10 or more.

Someone who’s recently made the commitment, and earned the reward, is Sydney, NSW, rider Amy Harburg.

Amy’s a well-known face on big rides in Australia. She and her 800GS can found just about any-where rides are being run in great locations. But recently Amy packed her kit bag and headed for South Africa to try for a spot on a team in the upcoming BMW GS Trophy.

The GS Trophy is an enduro challenge where international teams compete in daily stages and special challenges, both on and off the bike. Having earned her place in South Africa, Amy will now front the starter in Thailand in 2016.

“Miles Davis sent me an email with a link,” said the vivacious GS rider, now with a 1200 parked alongside the 800, “and asked if I’d consider entering.

“My very quick answer was, ‘Yes!’” Amy had heard of the Trophy, but didn’t know enough. She logged on and started researching, watching videos, reading about past events and learning all she could about what would be expected. This was to be the first year the event would accommodate an exclusively female team, and Amy wanted to be part of it.

“There were 119 applicants from every country in world,” smiled Amy, “and places at the qualifying event for only 10 girls.”

Dave Darcy of Motorcycle Adventure Dirtbike TV jumped in to produce the video application, and before long Amy was on her way. She was the only Australian accepted, and meeting her counterparts in South Africa was a big thrill.

“We kind of knew each other,” said Amy. “We’d been in touch on Facebook and I’d seen their videos, so we knew who was who. It was like 10 friends who hadn’t seen each other in years arriving together. From the moment it started, that’s what it felt like. Everyone was so fun and like-minded and enthusiastic.”

From the qualifier in South Africa three girls were selected to make up the final team to compete in Thailand in 2016.

There were 13 individual trials for the riders to tackle. The range was wide, from putting up a tent to riding blindfolded to a set point, rocky hillclimbs, and some very severe tests of technique.

“They had this one called Rope The Tree,” remembered Amy.

“You had to hold this big rope in your right hand so you couldn’t use the throttle. The other end of the rope was tied to a tree. You had to ride around and around the tree. Obviously the rope was getting shorter and shorter, and the goal was to hang the end of the rope on a hook in the tree.”

The competition was strong, but so was the camaraderie amongst the riders, and it was a facet of the qualifier Amy particularly enjoyed.

At the end of it all, Amy was one of the chosen three, and will head to Thailand at the end of February, 2016, for the GS Trophy.

She’ll be a member of the first-ever all-female team, and she’s making sure she’ll be competitive.

“I’m training here in Australia as much as I can. We’re not sure if we meet as a team before the Trophy,” she beamed.

Amy’s especially grateful for the support she’s received from BMW Australia and Country Trax Off Road Riding Academy in South Africa.

Now, hopefully, she can enjoy the support of Adventure Rider Magazine readers as well.

Go Amy!